I have been so busy establishing my farm this year that the blog got left behind... I wasn't quite ready for it yet- not enough hours in the day. If only I didn't have to sleep!
I am setting up a "Weekly Goody Box" system for a few people... (that's what I am calling it)
Where they get whatever is coming out of the garden that week in their "Goody Box" and they pay me for the box....
This week the box will have:
Eggs
LOTS of 'Fancy' Lettuces
Big Beautiful Radishes
Red and Yellow Spring Onions
Swiss Chard
Snap Peas
Strawberries potentially...

Good Eats!

March Madness

Wow- why does it always seem like 2 days pass and then I look at the date of the last post and it's been a month? Hmmm... probably because it has been a month and a lifetime worth of things have happened since then!
Let's see...
1. We got our dear Junie- we love her!
2. Sicky Chicky died
3. Junie was sick for a moment
4. All the regular life at the farm mini dramas go on...

So my goal is to check in weekly (at a minimum)  When I have so much happen in between posts it's hard to figure out where to start.!!!

Updates- a new cow to come and an attempted (chicken) murder and my garden

There is ALWAYS something happening on the farm. I have so much going on (as always) and tonight am caring for a sad, hurt chicken. My chicken (one of them) was almost killed this afternoon by my new puppy. I am praying that she will be ok, and I am trying to decide how to approach the training of the dog now. (There will be no chicken flavored treats along the way I can assure you)
Hmmm always a new curve thrown my way,how to train a dog- to not be a dog?  I know I sound like I am complaining- and I guess I am at the moment....Anyway in happy news all is coming along with all my other projects...

1. The new family cow! She has already been purchased and is staying with her current family until my stable/ run-in is delivered in the next few weeks. Her name is Junie- she is a Dexter and is 11 years old (Born in '99 like Austin) She is due to calve in April and we are very excited to have her joining our farm family.
Junie has had quite a few calves and never had any issues- she has been milked before and is tame (we will see how she is with me I guess)
She is a purebred Dexter - registered and everything and was bred to a registered Dexter Bull. I am secretly hoping she will have a heifer so I can increase my herd.... keep your fingers crossed!

2. My Garden & Greenhouse! I have ordered all my seeds and some fruit plants (thornless raspberries and blackberries & blueberries & Honeyberries) I have redesigned my beds to be raised beds with chickenwire underneath so no moles can come up through and so I can have "set" rows. Between the chicken wire and Cat the moles will be a non issue I hope. Those moles are the sneakiest.... they are the smartest, ugliest and smallest pains in the patooty....
Back to the garden- It is all exciting- But MOST exciting is that I have a greenhouse - in my garage - waiting to be put up.

So I was complaining- but really life is awesome.... and a hurt chicken is sad but part of life.... say a prayer for me and my little lady if you can... or just cluck it.

A month after Christmas my farm provided me.... a pathway back to my sanity

Whew.... Christmas time takes it's toll. At least it does on me.

All the fun things- putting up the tree, assembling the Christmas village, decorating, shopping, and wrapping the packages of joy (sort of fun) all seemed a bit overwhelming this year.
Could be because we decided to have our whole house painted during all of this. (Hindsight being 20-20)
To the right is a picture of the Christmas village from one angle at least...

Anyway, Christmas was awesome as always and this year we had an exceptionally special Christmas... We got a new addition to our farm family. His name is Blitzen (after the reindeer) and he is a beautiful Blue Heeler puppy. He is absolutely gorgeous and tons of fun.... We got him from a Breeder locally -check it out if your interested...   http://www.grizzyhollowfarm.com/   It was a wonderful experience and he came to us in perfect health and lovin' life. This is him when he first came home...

Is he not the cutest little thing? Wait till you see the next one(s)!

 This is Blitzen looking through the fence into the goat pen. He desperately wants to be friends with the goats, the problem is goats don't really feel very friendly toward a little ball of fire tearing in between their legs barking and wagging... So needless to say they are "frenemies"
Blitzen wants to play and the goats want to 'but' his butt into next week. They have even succeeded in knocking him over before - when I had the goats in the yard and the dog out at the same time (never to happen again) Thankfully I had better judgement then to leave them alone together. But not good enough to not let them that close to begin with.....

Just recently we got snowed in- REALLY snowed in. We had somewhere around 10" of snow and then another 2" a few days later. To add to the excitement of having to deal with the snow- our power went out. For 3 1/2 days. Another story for another day... all I have to say is thank goodness for my husband and his tractor! (I have said it out loud and in writing Honey- your tractor was/is worth it)   Anyway the snow was difficult but thankfully we had the cutest entertainment around!

A boy with his dog is a beautiful thing. And they are the cutest around. They have so much fun together! Blitzen is already learning how to sit and does it regularly. He looks like he is practicing now....AND did I mention he is basically potty trained?!!! I have basically become a human Pez Dispenser and everytime he even thinks of going outside he gets a treat. BUT we have very few accidents.... Well worth having crumbled dog treats in my pockets.

Anyway so much more is happening around here at the Citadel.... We are getting a cow! a Dexter.... but it's late and I feel like curling up with a good book- Storey's Guide to Raising Cattle I think will be tonight's rivetting read! And I will love every minute of it!